Lamp-position controller



W. S. NATHAN.

LAMP POSITION CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED sum 28. 1920.

LlfifiYG, Patented May 16, 1922..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W.S.NATHAN LAMP POSITION CONTROLLER,

APPLICATION FILED IUNEZB. 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

as sir stint.

WALTER S. NATHAN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

'LAMP-POSITION CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed June 28, 1920. Serial No. 392,170.

This invention relates to a lamp position' controller.

It is particularly applicable to lamps or spot lights to control themovements thereof in a plurality of planes. One such application is tolamps of the Stewart Warner type, but it is not limited to such use.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for limitingthe movement of a lamp or spot light to confine the reflected rayswithin a pre-determined area.

Another object is toprovide means adapted to be applied as a unit to aspot light in common use, without requiring extensive alterations, forlimiting the vertical movement of the lamp within 'a pie-determined anle of a horizontal plane.

Znother object is to provide a simple attaohment of few parts adapted tobe applied to a lamp to limit the movement thereof to confine the rayswithin a given zone when projected forward of the vehicle so as toeliminate objectionable glare.

Another object is to provide means to limit the vertical movement of alamp when in road illuminating position, but to permit unlimitedmovement of the lamp for other positions.

A further object is to provide means particularly adapted to be appliedto a Stewart Warner lamp to so control the movements thereof as toprevent objectionable glare to pedestrians, and occupants of approachingvehicles.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter. appear.

The lamp position controller has the following advantages:

It forms a unitwhich is both compact and of few parts.

It may be readily applied to lamps already in use. 7

' It can be attached to the lamp so as not to be readily visible, thusaiding its efficacy and'not detracting from the pleasing appearance ofthe lamp.

7 It ma be readily and economically manufactured i No extensivealterations need be made in the lamp when attaching the positioncontroller.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which i Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, ofa spot light support with the lamp in road illuminating position;

Fig. 2 is a developed elevation on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing thelamp position controller adjusted to restrict the vertical movement ofthe lamp;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the lamp position controlleradjusted to permit unrestricted vertical movement of the lamp in nonroad illuminating position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the lamp position controller;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lam and support,on the'line 5-5 of Fig. 1; an

Fig. 6 is a broken section of the end of the yoke and the lamp casing.

The invention in general comprises a lamp controlling "means including acam or notched member movable with the lamp in one plane, another cam ornotched member movable with the lamp support and means co-operating withsaid members to determine the movement of the lamp under pre-determined1 conditions to limit the movementof the lamp in a vertical plane whenthe lamp is in a road illuminating position.

Alam or spot light 1 is rotatably mounted on a yoke 2, which ispreferably pivotally mounted. on a suitable bracket arm 3. The bracket 3may be mounted on any suitable standard 4 such, for example, as one ofthe uprights for the wind shield.

The lamp 1 may be moved in a vertical plane about its horizontal axle ofsupport, and may be bodily moved in a horizontal plane about thevertical supporting axis of the yoke 2.

It is desirable that the movement of the grees on either side of thedirection oftravel.

The vertical movement of the lamp should preferably be so restrictedthat the glaring rays of light will not be projected forward of thevehicle more than a certain distance,

such, for example,: as 40 to 70 feet.

angle in a horizontal plane.

When the lamp is out of road illuminating position there is nopossibility of the rays of light therefrom being projected into the eyesof the occupants of approaching vehicles, and its vertical movementshould be unrestricted to permit the proper illumination of objectsalong the side of the road.

The movements of the lamp 1 may be controlled by providing a cam ornotched memher 5, movable with the lamp, another cam or notched member6, movable with the yoke 2, and an intermediate stop or control link 7operatively associated with the cams 5 and 6'. The functioning positionof the link 7 is dependent upon the relative position of the two cams,or in other words, upon the relative position of the lamp and yoke. Theconstruction and relative arrangement of the cams 5, 6 and the link 7should be such that -within a pre-determined angle of a horizontalplane, the movement of the lamp in a vertical plane is restricted.

. The cam 5 is suitably mounted on the casing of the lamp as by rivets 9(see Fig. 6) but any other suitable means may be provided for mountingthe cam 5 so that the movements thereof will correspond with those ofthe lamp 1. The lamp 1 is rotatively supported in the yoke 2 by means ofscrews or rivets 10. A nut 11 cooperates with each screw or rivet tohold the parts in proper relation.

The cam 6 is attached to the: yoke 2 by rivets 12. The yoke 2 isrotatably mounted on the bracket 3 by a stud 13. The threaded end of thestud shank engages the, cam 6, and a washer 1 1 cooperates therewith tohold the bracket 3 and the yoke 52 in spaced relation. Other means may,of course, be employed for attaching the. cam 6 to the yoke 2so that thetwo may move together.

The control link 7 is mounted on the yoke 2 and is preferably formed oiwire, rod or other suitable material of suflicien t stiffness to resist.bending under compression. The yoke 2 carries guides 8 for the link 7.One end ot: the link 7 is maintained in engagement with the cam 6 bymeans of a coiled spring 16 encircling the link 7. @no end'ot the springis. fastened to the' link and the other; is seated against the guide 8.

For thepurpose of reducing the friction between the link 7 and the cam5, a roller 17 is mounted on the end of the link 7.

For the purpose of restricting the move mentof the lamp 1' in a verticalplane, when the lamp ismoved through a certain angle 0t horizontalplane, the respective cams 5an'd 6-are provided with suitable co-operartingaraisedor notched portions, The cam 6': is=pirovi ded with araised portion 18 which prevents=the movement ot' the link7, While the"yoke 2iislbeing'moved through a certain I The" cam 5 is provided with.a' raised portion 19, the

upon the raised cam surface 19.

turned to illuminate a sign at the side of the road. The lamp then hasan unrestricted movement in: a vertical plane. In the latter position,the yieldingljy pressed link 7 is free to move so that the end 15thereoi may ride IALS the end of the link engages the raised portion 19of the cam 5, the lamp is pre vented from being turned to a roadilluminating position, because the opposite end 21 of the link wouldstrike one of the shoulders 22 ot the cam 6. 1 11 order to again movethe lamp to a road illuminating position, it

must be moved to a position within the restricted vertical movement whenthe'rol ler 17 again rests on the depressed portion of the cam Theinvention contained herein is of course susceptible of otherembodimentsand adaptations.

1. In combination with a movably mount ed support and a; lamp mountedfor move ment on said support, lamp" positioning means comprising a camadapted to move with the support, another cam adapted to move with thelamp, and meansdependent upon the relative position of the camsfordetermining the" movement of the lamp.

2. A; lamp position controller for alamp pivotally supported on ahorizontaliaxis in a'yoke pivotally' StlPpOTtQCl to move in a horizontalplane, comprising cam 'fixed to the lamp, a cam fixed to the yoke,a'ro'd extending between and in operative relation to the ea-ms, and aspring holding one end of the rodin engagementwith the camfixed to th'elamp.

3. A lamp position controller fora lamp pivotally supported on ahorizontahaXis'in a yoke pivotallysupported; toumo'v'e' in a horizontalplane, comprising a calm i a stened to the lamp, a cam fastened?totheyoke, a

with the lamp cam and the other end of which is forced into the path ofthe raised portion of the yoke cam by the raised portion of the lampcam.

5. The combination oi a yoke mounted for movement in a horizontal plane,a lamp rotatably mounted in the yoke for movement in a vertical plane, acam fixed to the lamp, a cam fixed to the yoke, each cam having a raisedportion on the periphery thereof, and a rod having one end yieldinglyengaging one of the cams and the other end thereof forced by the raisedportion of one cam into the path of the raised portion of the other cam.

6. The combination of a yoke supported for movement in a horizontalplane, lamp mounted in the yoke for movement in a vertical plane, andmeans dependent upon the position of the yoke in the horizontal planefor determining the limits of movement of the lamp in the verticalplane, said means comprising a cam fastened to the yoke and a camfastened to the lamp, said cams having notched peripheries,- and arodpositioned between the peripheries of the cams,

one end of the rod being moved into the pathof the notched periphery ofthe yoke cam by the notched periphery of the lamp cam.

7. In combination with a lamp and a support therefor, means cooperatingwith the lamp to limit the movement thereof in a vertical plane when ina predetermined horizontal position, said means comprising a notchedmember movable with the lamp, a spring pressed member normally engagingthe notched member, and a stop associated with the support andcooperating with the spring pressed and notched members to determine themovement of the lamp. v

8. A lamp position controller comprising relatively movable membersmounted at spaced points to rotate about different axes, and meanscooperating with the two members and dependent upon the relativeposition thereof for limiting the movement of one of the members. I

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WALTER S. NATHAN.

